LUNAR SPACE ELEVATOR

B.Manikanta Gupta09E11A2111

IN THIS MODULE WE WILL ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

• What is a space elevator, and why would it be so useful?

• What sort of material could webuild a space elevator from?

• Why do different materials have different properties?

• What are carbon nanotubes, and how can we learn about them?

What is a « space elevator » ?

• Physical connection from Earth to the geostationary Earth orbit

• Objective– Transport people– Payloads– Power– Gases

SPACE ELEVATOR: A NEW WAY TO REACH THE STARS

The Space Elevatoris a cable-like tool which could connect the Earth with a fixed structure in outer space.

It would provide a permanent link between Earth and outer space.

SPACE ELEVATOR: SUMMARY

• The Space Elevator is a theoretical concept.- it would provide a permanent link between Earth and space.

• The cable in a Space Elevator could only be constructed from an extremely strong, flexible and lightweight material, such as carbon nanotubes.

Different parts

Geostationary transfer station

Base station

Different parts

Electromagnetic vehicles

Counterweight

Spheres

Properties Of Carbon Nanotubes

Strong– 200 times stronger than steel.– the first synthetic material to have greater

strength than spider silk.Light – 1 square kilometre = 30kgFlexible – Compared to most materials.Heat resistant– resists burning like a metal.

PROPERTIES

• Because of their high Young's moduli, their use in mechanically enhancing composites is being investigated.

• Because of their high aspect ratio, nanowires are also uniquely suited to dielectrophoretic manipulation.

Infrastructure• Total length : 144 000 km

– Earth-moon : 385 000 km• Tower on earth• Propulsion

– mechanical : 12 days of travel– electromagnetic : 10 hours

HISTORY

• The idea of space elevators has been around since 1960 when Yuri Artsutanov wrote a Sunday supplement to Pravda on how to build such a structure and the utility of geosynchronous orbit.

• Then in 1966, John Isaacs, a leader of a group of American Oceanographers at Scripps Institute, published an article in Science about the concept of using thin wires hanging from a geostationary satellite.

• In October 2011 on the LiftPort website Laine announced that LiftPort is pursuing a Lunar space elevator as an interim goal before attempting a terrestrial elevator. At the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG), LiftPort CTO Marshall Eubanks presented a paper on the prototype Lunar Elevator co-authored by Michael Laine.

• In August 2012, Liftport announced that the project may actually start near 2020

LIFTPORT

• In October 2011 on the LiftPort website Laine announced that LiftPort is pursuing a Lunar space elevator as an interim goal before attempting a terrestrial elevator. At the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG), LiftPort CTO Marshall Eubanks presented a paper on the Lunar Elevator co-authored by Michael Laine.

• In August 2012, LiftPort announced the launch of KickStarter funding for their Lunar space elevator. This KickStarter fund can be found at Space Elevator Kickstarter. This project successfully exceeded its funding goal on September 13, 2012, requesting $8,000 they raised $110,353 from 3,468 backers

Risks

• What about collisions?– asteroids– space debris

• Maintenance on the elevator

Other projects

• Mars space elevator transportation system

Conclusion

• A not so far future 20 years ?

• Main objective: profits• A lot more to say about

safety, environment…• A great idea to dream about